On Wednesday, 2 April 2025, the Office of the President announced the immediate suspension of post-retirement contract appointments for retired public service staff.
The directive, signed by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Callistus Mahama, said all such requests would no longer be entertained and directed strict compliance.
“The grant of post-retirement contract appointments to retired public service staff has been suspended with immediate effect,” the official statement read.
And continuing, it emphasised: “Consequently, all requests for such appointments will no longer be considered. Kindly take note of this directive and ensure strict compliance.”
But Media Without Borders has sighted a memo linking President John Dramani Mahama to a breach of the same directive.
The Secretary to the Board of state-owned Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), Nii Ayi Tagoe, reportedly wrote and signed the memo, dated June 30, 2026.
Content of the memo
In the memo, the secretary disclosed that President Mahama had granted Ing. John Okine Yamoah a one-year post-retirement contract as NEDCo’s Managing Director. Yamoah’s retirement was due on Friday, 12 June 2026.
“At an Emergency Meeting of the Board held at the NEDCo Head office and online on June 30, 2026, the Chairman informed the meeting that, His Excellency the President, had granted Ing. John Okine Yamoah a one-year post-retirement contract as Managing Director of NEDCo, per letter referenced OPS108/26/937 and dated June 25, 2026.
“The contract took effect from the effective date of Ing. Yamoah’s retirement. The Board ratified the contract appointment of Ing. Yamoah and directed Management to draft the requisite contract documents. They further urged staff and all stakeholders to continue to support Ing. Yamoah to consolidate the gains achieved by NEDCo and complete the ongoing reform initiatives and operational improvements being undertaken by the Company,” said the Board Secretary.
Evidence of post-retirement extension
Checks by the author of this report show that Yamoah is still at post as Managing Director of NEDCo after attaining the compulsory retirement age of sixty years two months ago.
He continues to take decisions as the head of the company and signs official correspondence in that capacity.
Below is evidence of decisions taken by him as Managing Director of NEDCo after his retirement:
There is no confirmation from the Jubilee House that President Mahama has lifted the suspension of grants of post-retirement contract appointments for retired public service staff.
And it is not clear if President Mahama actually endorsed Yamoah’s post-retirement contract appointment as stated by the NEDCo Board’s Secretary in the memo.
Comment from NEDCo Board Chairman
In response to enquiries, the Chairman of the NEDCo Board, Cletus Seidu Dapilah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jirapa, told Media Without Borders that President Mahama gave the MD a one-year post-retirement contract.
He said the board did not determine such appointments, explaining that it was the prerogative of the President. He further explained that when the Presidency granted a contract appointment to a Chief Executive, it did so on behalf of the board, and the board was required to communicate the decision to management and staff.
“There are always exceptions. It’s a technical area. They wanted him to hang on for some time in order to stabilise the place, particularly the power situation. Basically, that’s what happened,” he said.
“You will always have exceptions,” he added.
Requests for comment sent by the author of this report to the Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, and to the NEDCo MD went unanswered before press time.
The directive from the Presidency was clear. It did not provide for exceptions. Whether the Board and the Presidency will explain why one was reportedly made in the case of the NEDCo MD remains to be seen.
The author will publish the response of the Presidency and the NEDCo MD when received.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana/ West Africa
